5 things you missed: Trade in your old video games at Walmart, more

By Dan Lewis, Digital First Media

Friday, March 21, 2014

1. Free your iTunes library from digital rights management

Five years ago, iTunes dropped digital rights management (DRM) from their downloads. DRM entailed digital locks that limited use of purchased tracks, with record labels employing them to protect customers from using the songs for things like fun. If you bought music (and still have it in your iTunes library), here are a few steps to free your music.

The process involves having to download music off of your iTunes Cloud storage, figuring out which songs have the protection on them, and then re-downloading those songs. Once finished, your library will be all clean.

Read more: ““(Wired)

2. Trade in your old video games at Walmart

Want to upgrade to the newest version of Call of Duty or Madden? While the newer versions of the games just always seem to be more expensive than the previous year’s, Walmart is the latest retailer that will help customers get a little something back.

Starting on March 26, customers will be able to trade in games from the latest consoles, including Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and Wii U. In return for the game, Walmart will give customers an eGift card that is good at Walmart and Sam’s Club.

Read more: ““(CNET)

3. Build up your vocabulary with this new app

Tired of swiping jewels and candy, or feeling cold and lonely away from flapping birds? Vocabulary.com has launched an app to help you have fun while learning new words to describe life.

The game isn’t just a series of flash-cards to tap through, like elementary school. Rather, a variety of challenges help you learn new words through repetition and integration.

It’ll cost $2.99 to download, but you’ll soon be on your way to badges, achievements, and a vocabulary that will make you a “Words With Friends” phenom.

Read more: “” (Fast Company)

4. Don’t get phished by this Google Docs scam

Time to use that common sense again as you protect your tech from the latest phishing scam.

A Google Docs look-alike has been circulating around, sending victims to a documents page and stealing log-in information in the process. The link is for a google.com page, but the log in page is the giveaway (besides being a Google Docs email request from a random contact) as the photo area will remain blank instead of displaying a picture of your Google+ profile picture.

Phishing scams are scary stuff – just be careful for the next couple of days.

Read more: “” (Gizmodo)

5. Use Lyft to score a cheap ride home

In an answer to Uber’s “Surge pricing,” Lyft has released an update to their app that offers a new Happy Hour feature that should help cut the cost of traveling at quieter travel times.

The goal is to lower the price by 10-to-50 percent, with the goal of increasing volume of rides to alleviate the loss of money by offering cheaper rides.